61 CLASS NOTES for NOVEMBER – DECEMBER 2025
Class Notes Editor – Paul Capra
2365 Chambers Lake Ln, SE
Lacey, WA 98503
E-mail: shonea1@gmail.com
Webmaster – Lou Allyn
E-mail: yaleclass1961@gmail.com
Website: http://yale1961.org/
Class officers:
Jamie McLane – Co Chair – E-mail: jmclane@profexa.com
Henry Kuehn – Co Chair – E-mail: hhkuehn@gmail.com
The 65th Reunion Planning Committee has been busy! The dates are now official – May 21-24, 2026. Our home base will be Jonathan Edwards College. Things kick off Thursday night in a truly memorable place – more details later. Friday and Saturday will be filled with events that you won’t want to miss. Saturday night dinner will feature the return of Melissa Errico, (YC’92), Mike Errico’s daughter, who was a hit at several past reunions. We want to make this final reunion (at least in Yale’s mind) truly memorable – so make sure to mark your calendars. You will receive registration mailings shortly. Plan to be there! (65TH Committee: Hank Kuehn Chair, Brian Kelly, Paul Capra and John Pearce)
Ed Cantor reports that the Class of 1961 Endowment at the Yale Cancer Center is about to reach a new goal. The fund, which started with $200,000 ten years ago, has grown to $2.8 million. In addition, we have awarded research grants to 15 brilliant young scientists, totaling over $800,000, allowing the recipients to conduct groundbreaking research. We have received contributions from well over 100 individual classmates and friends. As we approach our 65th reunion, we look forward to an enthusiastic and generous response from our classmates, enabling the fund to move well past $3million. Any gift to the Endowment is credited to your Class Reunion gift. The Class Endowment is unique in the annals of class giving at Yale. It is the legacy of the Class of 1961 and will benefit Yale and all humanity for years to come.
This from Jim Bowditch: “Hangin’ in at 86; had the cruise of a lifetime a year ago through the Northwest passage; been happily married for 61 years; in decent shape. Best recent decision was to move into a retirement cottage (Quarry Hill) in Camden, ME – have more to spend now that we’re out of the big house – income is higher in large measure thanks to required minimum distributions (RMDs). Our sons sold their company, and our daughter is looking for a new job at 55. Tough market out there. Grands all doing well, one at Wesleyan, another at Middlebury. Been Zooming roommates: J White, H. Hartman & D. Stage, for two years on a monthly basis. See you at the reunion!”
Norman V. Edmonson, Jr. died April 12, 2025, following a three-year battle with cancer. After majoring in chemical engineering, he served four years in the U.S. Navy followed by an MBA from Harvard. Much of his career was spent at Sun Oil. Norm and Polly visited all seven continents, going to Antarctica twice! Fishing, gardening, Penn State football, classical music and good wine were among his passions.
Jonathan K. Farnum passed away on Tuesday, August 19, 2025. Jon followed a familiar path from Exeter to Yale, then Harvard Business School. Jon began his career at Brown University in finance and operations. He went on to lead Wardwell Braiding Machine Company of Central Falls, RI as President and CEO for more than 30 years. He was elected to four terms as RI State Senator ultimately serving as Minority Leader. Beyond his many professional and civic accomplishments, Jon found joy in reading, studying Colonial history, swimming in “the lake,” or simply resting with a dog on his lap. He loved good food, good conversation, and travel—personally visiting all seven continents.
Allan Robert Kmetz, a pioneer in liquid crystal display technology, passed away on August 9, 2025, in San Francisco. Allan earned three degrees from Yale (BA, M.Eng & D.Eng). His professional career, patents and honors spanned an arc from Texas Instruments, Brown Boveri Research Center, and Bell Laboratories. After retiring, Allan became an independent display technology consultant serving as an expert witness in high-profile patent cases and continued to shape the industry and the next generation of engineers through his leadership in various professional organizations. Allan loved sailing, astronomy, cooking, the NYT crossword puzzle, Dave Brubeck, target shooting, racquetball and the occasional martini, up with a twist.
Phil Perrone received our call for notes while in Germany where he was escaping the heat of Savannah. He states that his last visit to Berlin in 1962 stands in stark contrast to the fully alive Berlin of today. “We then moved north by train to the Baltic island of Rugen in the seaside haven of Binz, a spot less known outside of Germany for its opulent nostalgia and whispers of a bygone era. The resplendent Rosa Kurhaus Binz a sprawling hotel of timeless elegance and storied charm served us well”.
Fresh out of Yale, Lou Muller, Jack Kickham and myself (Ross Reynolds) shared a big old house on Fort Hill Circle on Staten Island. Jack and I worked for P&G while Lou was in the Navy. We had a recent Zoom reunion with the three of us plus another roomie. Lots of stories. It was good to catch up.
Mark D. Lebow recently celebrated the 70th birthday of his wife Patricia Edith Harris Lebow at the Wynn in Las Vegas. Patti was former First Deputy Mayor of New York City during the Michael Bloomberg administration and currently heads Bloomberg Philanthropies.
Keep an eye out for Andy Block and Gary Fox’s 1961 Goes to the Movies. The Bicycle Thief is coming up in October. They have had a terrific run with The Third Man, Casablanca, Rear Window, and High Noon, to mention just a few. Their treasure trove of discussions of oldies and goodies can be found on the class website yale1961.org.
PC